pancoast



W. G. PANCOAST AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed Jan. 31. 1923 7 of an auxiliarybar.

Patented Oct. 7, 1924.

, UNITED STATES 1 1,511,039 PATENT OFFICE.

WIL IAM G. rANcoAsrr, or wrmvrn'rr'npirininors, ASSIGNOR To BrrLExPRODUCTS COMPANY, OF WAUKEGAN,YIIILLIN QIS, A CORPORATION or DE AWARE.

AUTOMOBILE BUMPER.

Application filed January 31, 1923. Serial No. 616,022.

To all whom may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM G. PANooAsT,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofv Wilmette,in'thecounty of Cook and- 6 State of Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in -AutOmobile Bumpers, ofwhichithefollowingis aspeci: fication. Y i This invention relates to improvements in bumpersfor automobiles, and more particularly to bumpers of that typeconstructed of resilient bars spaced apart or ofiset vertically so as toprovide an impact area of increased, width, especially pronouncedthroughout the central portion of the impact member xm I1 v The objectof the. invention is to provide anovelconstruction for a bumperembodying the characteristics hereinbefore set forth. and one of simpleconstruction with but few parts, comprising two bars so offset andcrossed and overlapped as to form braced yet resilient construction, butsuited-to withstand -r the impacts to .Which automobile bumpers aresubjected. I It is a furtherobjectof theinvention to provide a noveltreatment of the bars in forming the widened impact member and the rear.reinforcing bar by which the bumper is attached to the vehicle. 1 In theaccompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of the invention isdisclosed, and whereinv:

Fig; lis a. top plan view of the bumper showing a preferred treatment ofthe bars and method ofattachingthebumper, v

2 is a view in front elevation of the bumper, I

Fig. 3 is a View in rear elevationlof the bumper,

- showing amodifiedconstruction, and

7 Figx'ii iszaviewpin front elevation ofthe bumper with an added featurein the form The'bumper herein disclosed, and presently to be describedindetai-l, may be said to "be m adeg iup 1': of two fiat bars extendingin vertically spaced relation throughout theiimpact member and-inoverlappin engagement throughoutxtherear portion; esi'lie'nt material,such as spring steel in theform of "flat barstock, is preferably used.These 1 bars 1 and 2 are for the most part counter- Passingthrough thebars at t arts of each other and when assembled orm a syimnetricalstructure, consisting of a forward and centrall located impact sectionA, endsections B, extending outwardly from the ends of the centralimpact section A, and bent to form loops or U- shaped-e-xtremities atthe ends .of the bumper. Beyond the looped endsections B, B the barsland 2 are brought together in' overlapping and fiatwise contact to forma rear section G extending parallel withjthe forward or impact member ofthe bumper.'

.. The individual bars 1 and 2 extend throughout portions of the bumperand, with respect to the central impact portion A and end sections B, B,these bars extend subs/tan tially p-arallel with each other and in' thesame vertical plane. A parallel relationship is maintained throughoutthe U-shaped end .portions B, B, which extend inwardly from the ends ofthe bumper at both front and rear; "Thecentral impact. section A isformed by offsetting the central portions of thebars vertically inoppositedirections and crossing the barsobliquely at 'fp'oints wardlyfromeach end, thereby afi'ording a bracing effect at these points. Thusthe bar 1, which is disposed above the end portions.

B, B, is offset downwardly at the points of intersection, thus becomingthe lower bar of the central impact section A. Similarly, the bar 2,which is the lower bar throughout the end sections, is ofli'set upwardlyat the. points of crossing or intersection and becomes the upper bar ofthe central 'im act section.

V I I I lie points of intersection'are fastening members 3, 3, pref- 1Throughout the central impact section A the portions of the bars 1 and2-forming the same are separated vertically a greater distancethanthroughout the end portions B, I B, in fact,-they diverge slightlyfrom the. p

ends of said section, thus giving the same a somewhat oval shape.However, the porerably in the form of rivets, although clamping membersor other means of connection vmaybe employed.

. Fig...t.:is a top plan view. of the bumper I 95 I tions of the barsforming this central im- ,pact area A may be shaped so that the sec tionmay be uniform in width substantially throughout its length, althoughthe increased width is maintained in order to provide a larger impactarea intermediate the ends of the bumper. Moreover, in the iii crossingof the bars at either end of the central impact area, it is necessaryto: offset the bars horizontally, as is shown in Fig. U

bars forming the central impact area A are not disposed in the samevertical plane. It would be possible, however, and perhaps desirable, tooffset the bars throughout the intersecting portions '50 that theintermediate portions may be brought back into the same plane, thisbeing merely a matter of design. v

As before described, the end portions B, B have the form of loops whichare pro vided by bending the bars rearwardly and inwardly, thusproviding added resiliency in the structure. The rear bar or portion Cis formed by extending the bars 1 and inwardly beyond the end sectionsB, B, in the manner now to bedescribed. a

As hereinbefore explained, the bars 1 and 2 are spaced apart verticallyand extend in parallel relation throughout'the end por tions B, B, thisrelationship being carried throughout the looped ends as far as the endsof the rear bar C. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the bars 1 and 2 areoffset abruptly toward each other at the junction of the end portions B,B, and the rear bar C, so that they are brought together in fiatwisecontact and form a bar of double thickness and of single width. As shownin Figs. 1 and 8, the upper bar 1 becomes the rearmost bar of the rearportion C, and the lower bar 2 becomes the foremost bar, although thisarrangement may be reversed if desired.

The ends of the bars 1 and 2 are brought 3 together in abuttingengagement adjacent the mid-point of the rear bar C, although as apreferable construction the joints are located on opposite sides of thismid-point.

in other words, the joints are staggered and a clamping member D ismounted between and at the center of the bar. On either side of thecentral clamping member and somewhat nearer the outer'ends of the rearbar C are mounted a pair of clamping members E, E, which also form partsof two brackets which are adapted for attachment to the vehicle frameand form the supporting members for the bumper.

In Fig. at a modification of the bumper above disclosed has beenillustrated. The modification or departure is confined to the treatmentof the rear section C wherein the innermost bar 2 does not extendthroughout the full length of said rear section C but terminates justbeyond the clamping members E, E in two forwardly curved loops at, at,of substantially semi-circular shape, which extend in close proximity tothe forward impact portion of the bumper. "these loops constitutereinforcing-springs which function to absorb a portion of the with theresult that the portions of the shock delivered against the impactportion of the bumper, itbeing manifest that the said forward portion ofthe bumper is distorted or yields under impact, thus striking thereinforcing loops, which in turn are depressed or slightly flattened,thus yieldingly resisting the distorting action.

In providing the loops 4, elthe ends of the other bar 1 are carriedinwardly as before, although their ends meet in abutting relation at thecenter Where they are connected together by a. single clamping member F.

In Fig. 5 a further modication has been illustrated showing the mannerin which the appearance of the bumper may be improved and its strengthincreased. This is accomplished by the addition of an auxiliary bar 5extending longitudinally of the central impact section A between theportions of the bars forming the same and within the space therebetween.This bar terminates at the points of intersection of the bars, its endsbeing preferably inserted between the bars 1 and 2 at said points ofintersection and secured in place by the rivet 3 heretofore described,or by means of a clamping member 6 surrounding the three overlappingbars.

If desired, the appearance of the bumper may be enhanced by providing adecorative bar having some conventional design, such as shown at 7 atthe center of the impact section. Moreover, the clamping members 6, 6,0r rivet heads may be fashioned in some conventional design in place ofthe plain rivets or clamps. These decorative features are disclosed as ameans of satisfying a prevailing tendency toward enhancing the otherwiseplain appearance of bumpers.

A bumper of the type herein disclosed presents a novel treatment of theso-called double bar construction wherein the desirable qualities-ofincreased strength and protection are obtained throughout those portionswhere these qualities are required, and without sacrificing theappearance or utility of the bumper.

I claim as my invention-- 1. A bumper comprising resilient barsextending in vertically spaced relation and bent in U-shape throughoutthe endporlil'Ol'lS thereof, and thence offset Vertically into flatwisecontact at points disposed inwardly from the ends of the bumper andforming portions of double thickness for connection to a vehicle.

2. A bumper comprising an impact member consisting of resilient barsspaced apart vertically and bent in U-shape at its ends, said bars beingextended inwardly beyond said U-shaped ends and in flatwi'se contact,thereby providing rearwardly disposed portions of double thickness forattachment to a vehicle.

3. A bumper comprising resilient bars extending in vertically s acedrelation throughout the central an end portions of the impact memberthereof, and bent rearwardl and inwardly to form U-shaped ends, saidbars being offset vertically beyond said U-shaped ends and brought intoflatwise contact thereby formin rearwardly disposed portions of doublethickness, and clamping members. attached to said rearwardlydisposedportions.

4. A bumper comprising an impact memher having U-shaped end portions andconsisting of a pair of resilient bars extending in vertically spacedrelation throughout the central and end portions of said impact, memberand U-shaped end portions, said bars being brought together beyond saidend portions into flatwise contact and forming a rearwardly disposed barof double thickness and attachin members applied to said last mentionedar.

5. A bumper comprisinga pair of resilient bars extending throughout thelength of the bum er and formin an impact member thereo the end portlonsof said bars being spaced vertically apart and bent rearwardly andinwardly to form U-shaped ends, the end portions of said bars beingbrought together in flatwise contact beyond said U-shaped ends and intoabutting engagement at their ends to form a rearwardly disposed bar ofdouble thickness.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day ofJanuary, A. 1)., 1923.

"'WILLIAM G. PANCOAST.

